Music

Well, I think Miss O'Connell had a fair old spanking then, and rightly so too!
I hate to echo previous comments, but to "print" a review in an effort to stretch journalistic boundaries by attempting (read:Failing) to be original and against the grain is just piss poor laziness.
Moan over......
To be honest I too was apprehensive when I first plunged the pretty blue CD into the self extracting door of my music system, and the apprehension didnt ease either when I listened to "samples" of each of the tracks. After all this is sooooooo different to their previous offerings, who could blame me!
However, after listening to the whole album in its entiritey, everything started to fit into place.
Sure there are "fillers" in the album, and one cannot expect every song to be a hit. (However fans will be able to gleana little magic from every song no doubt!)
Mostly though, I was very pleased with Take Thats 2nd offering since 2006 and my favourites are Garden, Greatest Day, Said it all , How did it come to this, You, and its title track the Circus.
A lot of the tracks are cleverly orchestrated with drippings of strings and typical Take That Harmonies and I cant wait to hear how they sound on tour.
2009 is something to be very very excited about.
Well done boys.

..."damp gusseted girls.."
Hardly the turn of phrase used by any respectable journalist...
Are we expected to respect the opinion of someone with such a lack of intelligence.
Utterly dreadful review.
Utterly great album.
Are you a failed musician Sharon?

This is a wonderful album and although it is not dominated by gary on lead i think there could be a string of hits to come from this. mark has done a great job with his lead on HELLO, and HOLD UP A LIGHT. They are both propper 21st century pop songs and i find this review to be not thought out. TIME OUT! SACK THIS REVIEWER.

Not being particularly a Take That fan, what I found interesting about your review from a 'quasi sociological' point of view, was how long it would take for a reviewer to play the lazy game of "lets-slag-off- the-new-heroes" (or in the case of Take That the old heroes rediscovered) in order to stand out from the crowd. Tall Poppy Syndrome the Aussies call it, although these poppies are pretty deep and woody rooted methinks,. Interesting to read a different opinion of course,, but I agree with other comments here that it is lazy journalism, and so doesn't make the journalist seem radical and ahead of the crowd as I guess she had hoped.

I can not believe this album only got 2 out of 6 stars! In my opinion it deserves more as there is a good variety of songs and i'd of thought something for everyone. I think it is a grower and hope those that may have been put of by this review will give it another choice and I guarantee you won't be able to stop listerning.
I am going to see them live next year and think they have really thought about how these songs will be performed live, I think they are going to sound great!! This album gets 6 out of 6 stars from me!

Dear Time Out,
As a member of the press myself, I've had a chance to listen to Take That's latest offering, 'The Circus', and my first thought upon reading your review is, that you haven’t taken the time to listen to this album fully. And have therefore not produced an impartial music review.
Whether a fan or not, this album has a lot to offer - and I implore your readers to make up their own minds instead of basing their opinion on your reviews (both online and in the paper). Each track on ‘The Circus’ is so different from anything Take That have done before, that it is impossible to compare anything here to their passed releases.
You may not be a fan of the band, but a fair review would have been nice for your readers instead of using your word count to take a pop at a band you have no liking for.

Having read several reviews about The Circus, what fascinates me most and perhaps is the biggest compliment so called journalists are indirectly paying Take That are the constant comparisons to Cold Play and the like. If Chris Martin had written some of the tracks for Cold Play I'd love to see what they'd be writing then. At the end of the day the only difference between Gary Barlow and Chris Martin is that Chris Martin is in a more fashionable group - there appears to be a bit of music snobbery going on I feel.
Great Album Take That.

Fantastic response from the comments. I got more from reading the comments about the album than from the Time Out "Journalist"....at least the internet has levelled the playing field and we can all be 'journalists' and straighten it out. The media is now shown to be the circus that it is.

Personally, as an open minded lover of all music, I think the album is spectacularly easy listening, while still being relevant to Take Thats audience of late twenties early thirties housewifes and business women. Ok so Take That aren't Arctic Monkeys or Oasis, or Beethoven. They're Take That, and this is an album very fitting with their current style, its much more polished than Beautiful World. And if anyone isn't fitting in with social likes and dislikes - its YoooooooUUuooooouUUuooooouooooooooo. :)

Dear Time Out
Please may I have a job a reviewer on your mag - it seems the only quality you need is laziness (as this reviewer proves). For god's sake woman - name the tracks and what you think each of their weaknesses are - like proper magazines - Q for instance. They didn't give it a glorious review - fairly average to be honest ... but at least they listened to each track. Just bone-idle. Thank goodness for the Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo and decent regional papers with time-served journalists. By the way ... how did you get your job ... was it a case of 'Bob's Your Uncle?'

Lazy, smug self important journalism. No one is really bothered about your personal feelings about the specifics of the social demographic that makes up Take That's fan base. It would be good to read a coherent critique as to whether the songs on the album are good pop songs or not. Please do the job your paid to do Sharon O'Connell and REVIEW THE ALBUM. The band have not " transcended the boundaries of criticism" they have just written and released some pop songs. The fact that you are left "floudering for references" is probably more telling of your failings as a music journalist than Take That's failings as a pop band. They do seem to be doing alright for themselves, if record and concert ticket sales count for anything in the music industry anymore.

I'm quite shocked that a publication like Time Out, who take themselves so seriously, would allow such a bias journalist write their reviews. Anyone who has heard the album will realise this review comes from a pretentious writer who fancies a bit of a pop at a group they don't like. But the sad fact is, your review is misleading, as it is a good album. Hopefully the public will ignore your unfair review and take it upon themselves to listen to The Circus before they make up their minds.

I think the responses to the negative reviews are good. These people have "said it all"

'The Circus' shows a maturity with some finely crafter 'adult pop', more current, thought provoking lyrics and a perfect blend of classic and contemporary production.
Some tracks are more instantly catchy than others, but the album is much more than a couple of hits padded out with B Sides and 'fillers'. It sounds more like a concept album, with a more consistent sound and themes.
Gary Barlow is arguably one of the finest songwriters of our time and although he has always been considered the 'talent' behind Take That, we are now hearing much more input and participation from Mark, Howard and Jason.
With the forthcoming tour selling out almost immediately, I dont think Take That will be affected by such cheap shots from uninformed, biased reviewers.
Whatever your opinion of their music, you have to admire their ability to return after 10 years, to fill the World's most prestigious stadiums and arenas with thousands of loyal fans whilst generating a huge following of new ones in the process.
Long may they continue ...

Well I have just listened to th album, and can say that there is something for everyone on the album. Very adult album, with flashes of brilliance, a bit like there take ona beatles album, very timely, and very good, 9/10****